Curry is prepared to learn

Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

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The Warriors's rookie guard Stephen Curry. The Golden State Warriors played the New Orleans Hornets at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, October 22, 2009. The Warriors defeated the Hornets 126-92.

The Warriors's rookie guard Stephen Curry. The Golden State Warriors played the New Orleans Hornets at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, October 22, 2009. The Warriors defeated the Hornets 126-92.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

Curry is prepared to learn

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An odd silence came over Stephen Curry during the Warriors' practice Tuesday. It was so out of character for the rookie point guard that assistant coach Keith Smart questioned Curry about it.

"I get a little more nervous each day (my debut) gets closer," Curry said. "Coach Smart told me to relax, and that has to be my mentality. I'm going to try to treat it like any other game.

"I know I'll have a lot of butterflies and anxiousness before the game starts, but after we get up and down the court a couple of times, I should be fine to do what I do on the court."

The day before Curry tips off his promising career against Houston, he comprehended another of the many lessons he has grasped this preseason. The point guard is also fully aware that many more learning experiences will follow as he tries to adjust to the toughest position a rookie can play.

"There are so many things you have to learn, so to cut down the learning curve, you have to learn it once and be able to do it over and over again," Curry said. "I'm making mistakes, but I'm learning from them and I've been able to move on to the next play and not hang my head.

"I know that's what it takes to last a long time in this league."

Even before logging many minutes alongside Monta Ellis, Curry had picked up tendencies in his teammate's game that will help them play together. Curry also has the innate ability to feel that a teammate is getting hot and finding ways to get him the ball, like he did with Anthony Morrow throughout the exhibition season.

"Steph has good knowledge of the game," general manager Larry Riley said. "It's obvious that he embraces the learning process. He absorbs so much and that, in itself, puts him a step ahead of the game."

Still, rookies haven't often fared well at point guard. Since Oscar Robertson won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1960-61, only seven other point guards have garnered the trophy individually - just three in the past 30 years. Jason Kidd and Steve Francis each shared the award with forwards.

Hall-of-Famer John Stockton averaged 5.6 points and 5.1 assists a game as a rookie. Two-time MVP Steve Nash went for 3.3 points and 2.1 assists. And Baron Davis averaged 5.9 points and 3.8 assists.

Even New Orleans' Chris Paul, who was Rookie of the Year in 2006-07, had his ups and downs as a rookie, trying to learn every intricacy of the offense, when and where his teammates liked to receive the ball and, then, figuring out his own role. Paul told Curry all about it this summer.

For about a month, they worked out every other day at 5 or 6 a.m. Curry picked Paul's mind the entire time, and Paul left impressed with Curry.

"He's a complete player, and he gets it," Paul said. "But this is his first year, so there are going to be bumps."

Each of the last five first-team all-rookie point guards survived a rollercoaster first year. Paul and Utah's Deron Williams each had their problems, Chicago's Kirk Hinrich averaged 4.2 turnovers a game in his first seven, but ended the year at 2.5, Chicago's Derrick Rose was benched late in games at times, and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook had to withstand rumored trades for his replacement and the signing of Shaun Livingston.

"There are always downfalls for rookies at the point guard position, but you have to keep your confidence and your swagger," Westbrook said. "You might go 10 games of playing bad basketball, but you have to continue to lead your team."

Curry shot just 36.6 percent from the floor and 22.2 percent from three-point range during the preseason, but his confidence never wavered. He had 14 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and six steals in the exhibition finale to earn the starting gig.

"He's playing the toughest position to learn, and he's probably further along than any rookie I've ever coached," coach Don Nelson said. "I feel really good about his future. He can probably make plays better than anybody on our team, he sees the floor and he's a better defender than anybody thought.

"He's got a good understanding of the game and a good IQ. ... He's a future guy, who we think we could build a team around."

Son of a gunner

Stephen and Dell Curry are the 22nd father/son combo to have both played in the NBA. Here is the complete list, with father in bold face:

Warriors tonight

Who: Rockets vs. Warriors

Where: Oracle Arena

When: 7:30 p.m.

TV/Radio: CSNBA/680

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